Mar
2020
Dinosaur Hunter Diaries #016: Lizards of the Night!
Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #2
Turok enters the job market.
The war against Mon-Ark and his Bionisaurs continues, as they
ceaselessly attack Turok in his jungle travels. Even against outrageous odds and
armed only with his bow, his knife, and a slow-acting poison, he manages to hold
his own and come out on top, if only just.
Of course, he's experienced in this business. Couriers and drug-runners passing
through the area are not so lucky, and Medellín's big dick drug lord, Carlos
Comacho, is sick of it. He's got drugs to ship and money to make, and having
employees slaughtered by time-displaced predators only cuts into his profit
margins! Turok has apparently made a name for himself in the dinosaur hunting
business, and Carlos believes he'd be the perfect man to escort his merchandise.
The same day, Turok is tracked down -- by palaeontologist Maria Cortez. She's also heard of his handiwork, but is
more interested in the creatures he hunts. She's come in the hopes of acquiring a live specimen,
requesting his help in hopes of finding a
way for the species to reproduce.
Turok disapproves.
After parting ways with Serita and her tribe, Turok isn't exactly
keen on civilisation — the closest approximation he dares visit is a humble bar
and trading post. Comacho and his boys are waiting inside and have a proposition
for him — if he promises
to kill the dinosaurs on his behalf, they'll load him up with all the guns he
can carry, and even a derelict warehouse to serve as his shooting range.
Turok approves.
Off the Colombian coast, Mon-Ark learns of this arrangement thanks
to a two-faced underling of Comacho's, though not even welching on his boss
saves the schmuck from getting sliced to ribbons. Humanity won't know what hit 'em once Turok
is slain... and Mon-Ark's bride wants that honour for herself.
I
know they're heartless, bloodthirsty, genocidal monstrosities, but it's so sweet
seeing a couple head over heels for one another.
Turok's time at the shooting range is rudely interrupted by one of
Comacho's men screaming for help -- and falling before an army of incoming
Bionisaurs! Even in an enclosed space against a force of dozens, they still
don't stand a chance against Turok... especially now that he's got assault
rifles and grenade launchers to play around with, some in ways they clearly
weren't intended for. Who knew a machine gun doubles as a spear in a pinch?
He cuts down the bulk of the herd and Comacho's men take care of
the rest... but the bride of Mon-Ark remains! She's eager to crush Turok's head beneath her jaws...
... but gets a pipe between the teeth for her troubles. Too clouded
by bloodlust to rethink her strategy, one swipe of a machete is all it takes to
end her bloody existence. Her loss is reported back to Mon-Ark by the
stragglers, and he doesn't take becoming a widower in stride.
Days pass, and Maria Cortez tracks down Turok once more. The remains
of the Bionisaurs in Medellín were quietly disposed of by government before
samples could be taken, but she
managed to retrieve lady Mon-Ark's head... and according to the university's
research, she was recently a mother. There might be a lot of little Mon-Arks out there waiting to hatch...!
Welcome to the new formula. Turok, whose dinosaur hunting prowess earns him
acclaim in various (often unscrupulous) circles, is called upon by whoever is in need of his services,
or trifled with by forces who want the creatures for their own gain. Likewise,
over half the pagecount is dedicated to gore, violence, and dinosaur action. You
get exactly what the subtitle promises!
It gives the series a more clearly defined premise than Turok and Andar
scavenging in the wilderness. He won't rest until the bionisaur threat is
eradicated! Unfortunately, it
makes these early issues a little one-note; there's only so many ways to
differentiate Colombian dinosaurs attacks.